Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Papua New Guinea

Urban population share in Papua New Guinea in 2025 — 15.8%. Ranked 216 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 12.3 pp.

2025 15.8% +0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank 216of 217
Period maximum 15.8%2025
Period minimum 3.5%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Papua New Guinea, 1960–20250510152019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 3.5%1962: 4.2%1964: 5%1966: 5.9%1968: 7.8%1970: 10.2%1972: 11.7%1974: 12.7%1976: 13.1%1978: 13.1%1980: 13.1%1982: 13.3%1984: 13.8%1986: 14.5%1988: 15.1%1990: 15.4%1992: 15.2%1994: 14.7%1996: 14%1998: 13.5%2000: 13.2%2002: 13.2%2004: 13.1%2006: 13%2008: 13%2010: 13%2012: 13%2014: 13.1%2016: 13.4%2018: 13.7%2020: 14.2%2022: 14.7%2024: 15.4%2025: 15.8%
Change over the period: +12.3 pp Annual average: 0.19 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea 15.8%
World 57.8%
Melanesia computed 21.2%
Urban population share — Papua New Guinea, by year Papua New Guinea All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 15.8 +0.4 pp
2024 15.4 +0.3 pp
2023 15.1 +0.3 pp
2022 14.7 +0.3 pp
2021 14.4 +0.3 pp
2020 14.2 +0.2 pp
2019 13.9 +0.2 pp
2018 13.7 +0.2 pp
2017 13.5 +0.2 pp
2016 13.4 +0.1 pp
2015 13.2 +0.1 pp
2014 13.1 +0.1 pp
2013 13.1 +0 pp
2012 13 +0 pp
2011 13 −0 pp
2010 13 −0 pp
2009 13 −0 pp
2008 13 −0 pp
2007 13 −0 pp
2006 13 −0 pp
2005 13.1 −0 pp
2004 13.1 −0 pp
2003 13.1 −0 pp
2002 13.2 −0 pp
2001 13.2 −0 pp
2000 13.2 −0.1 pp
1999 13.3 −0.2 pp
1998 13.5 −0.2 pp
1997 13.7 −0.3 pp
1996 14 −0.3 pp
1995 14.4 −0.3 pp
1994 14.7 −0.3 pp
1993 14.9 −0.2 pp
1992 15.2 −0.2 pp
1991 15.3 −0.1 pp
1990 15.4 +0.1 pp
1989 15.3 +0.2 pp
1988 15.1 +0.3 pp
1987 14.8 +0.3 pp
1986 14.5 +0.4 pp
1985 14.2 +0.3 pp
1984 13.8 +0.3 pp
1983 13.5 +0.3 pp
1982 13.3 +0.2 pp
1981 13.1 +0 pp
1980 13.1 −0 pp
1979 13.1 −0 pp
1978 13.1 −0 pp
1977 13.1 −0 pp
1976 13.1 +0.1 pp
1975 13 +0.3 pp
1974 12.7 +0.5 pp
1973 12.2 +0.6 pp
1972 11.7 +0.6 pp
1971 11.1 +0.8 pp
1970 10.2 +1.2 pp
1969 9.1 +1.3 pp
1968 7.8 +1.1 pp
1967 6.6 +0.8 pp
1966 5.9 +0.5 pp
1965 5.4 +0.4 pp
1964 5 +0.4 pp
1963 4.6 +0.4 pp
1962 4.2 +0.4 pp
1961 3.8 +0.3 pp
1960 3.5

Melanesia, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.